Tuesday, March 4, 2008

THE ALBATROSS OF CAPE HORN

On the summit of Cape Horn stands a large statue, the silhouette of an albatross. On a nearby plaque, this poem is inscribed:


SOY EL ALBATROSS QUE TE ESPERA
EN EL FINAL DEL MUNDO.
SOY EL ALMA OLVIDADA DE LOS MARINOS MUERTOS
QUE CRUZARON EL CABO DE HORNOS
DESDE TODOS LOS MARES DE LA TIERRA.
PERO ELLOS NO MURIERON
EN LAS FURIOSAS OLAS,
HOY VUELAN EN MIS ALAS.
HACIA LA ETERNIDAD,
EN LA ULTIMA GRIETA
DE LOS VIENTOS ANTARTICOS.

SARA VIAL


Translation found on the Internet:

I am the albatross that waits for you at end of the earth. I am the forgotten soul of the dead sailors who crossed Cape Horn from all the seas of world. But they did not die in the furious waves. Today they fly in my wings to eternity in the last trough of the Antarctic wind.

Sara Vial


My approximate translation:

I am the albatross with wings unfurled
That waits for you at the end of the world.
I am the forgotten soul from the sailors torn
Who came to cross Cape Horn
From all the seas of the world.

But those sailors brave
Did not die in the furious waves.

Though no mortal can rescind
The works of waves and wind,
Today as you see me in the sky,
With me in my wings they fly
To eternity in the Antarctic wind.

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